Hi, I`m Simi
spirit animal: chameleon.
Food makes
me happy - and happiness is best enjoyed shared.
So I cook.
I love to grow food,
I love to harvest and forage, and
I love to bring people together around colorful plates of creative dishes.
My Cooking style:
using fresh, seasonal & local/regional produce
supporting small farms rather than mass-production
Intuitive cooking by consulting with the available produce to decide spontaneously what it should become
Working a lot by color and texture since I cannot smell.
(Yes, fun fact: I am a chef who cannot smell)
Professionally, I am an all-rounder:
host, cook, manager.
I have worked as an event manager, in various hospitality jobs, as a restaurant
manager, and have built a vegan farm-to-table cookshop in the jungle.
Currently I cook for retreats and private events in South Portugal, and work with the beautiful project Fazenda Compadres & Comadres on their agriforest farm, farmers market and FarmTable fundraiser event. @wearecomadres.
Who I am:
I grew up trilingually, have lived in several countries, and have tried out many paths so
far. But living in nature surrounded by mountains and music while making people happy with food
is where my heart beats.
I thrive within a community of warmhearted people and am known to whip up full meals for groups of friends on a whim, accompanied by good music to get the juices flowing.
Being nomadic, easily adaptable, and a lover of trees, it`s not farfetched that chameleons resonate with me.
What I offer
plantbased food
locally & consciously sourced ingredients
family-style buffet meals & plated meals
catering for group events
short-
& long-term retreat chef services (Algarve)
baked Jamaican-style veggie patties (savory filled dough pockets) in bulk
collaborations for workshops, food education, food and farm events
specialized in farm-to-table
Family-Style Buffet
An array of colorful dishes fill the table. Everyone can try and combine a bit of everything.
Event Chef
Creative meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) for groups, events, and retreats in collaborate with a plantbased chef network in the area.
Vegan Patties
Handy, healthy snacks for your event.
(Location: Aljezur, Algarve, Portugal)
Workshops
Let`s work together on creating unforgettable food, farming, and health workshops / events, music and nature events.
Creative, colorful, clean, & conscious cooking
When food is real, it`s full of life and nutrition.
We fuel our bodies with the vibration and breath of nature while stimulating all of our senses.
Eat Natural
Biodiverse seed collection - Sustainable farming practices - Conscious eating
Food is part of nature. It is medicine for mind, body and soul. Keeping a diverse, local, clean and seasonal diet is key to maintaining a healthy environment and society, supporting local communities and honoring traditions.
Seed saving is one of the most crucial
tasks for keeping biodiversity strong. It`s something we can all think about next time we cut open fruit/veggies or can`t find any in them at all. But we also have to know which seeds are healthy and good to trade or plant and which have been modified and cannot reproduce.
Whether we live in the city or the countryside, whether we grow our own food or are dependent on others to grow what we eat, let`s incorporate more food-related talks in our everyday lives and normalize food education. Eating is more than just a recurring process to keep our bodies alive. It's a way of remaining in conversation with the earth we inhabit, nourishing our souls and minds, and creating opportunities for human connection.
How is it grown? Where has it grown? Who grows it?
Why do we continue to depend on monocultures?
What is out daily nutrition intake? How diverse are we able to eat?
How do we compost and give back to the earth?
I envision a modern world connected to age-old traditions and knowledge, through a community of food- and farming-educators from around the world.
The Moussa Pot
Moussa Pot derives from Kromanti, a Maroon language that is becoming extinct.
The dish is a traditional contryside one pot, usually consisting of roots, veggies and spices
boiled down in coconut milk.
To me it represents bringing together history, tradition and culture and pass it on from generation to generation.
From 2019 - 2023 The Moussa Pot was my small vegan farm-to-table cookshop
in the hills of Port Antonio, Jamaica.
Today, The Moussa Pot is about connecting people and nature through
food and events in (the forests of) the Algarve, Portugal.
Reviews
